FISH AND FISHING. 



CARP AND CARP FISHING. 



Cincinnati, O. 



Editor Recreation: The answer of B. 

 W. E., to E. A. Adams, in August Recrea- 

 tion, in regard to fishing for carp caused 

 me to wonder how he found out. S. T. D., 

 who writes in October Recreation knows 

 what he is talking about and has caught 

 carp. 



It has but lately become known in this 

 section that carp could afford sport for the 

 angler, and even yet but few know how to 

 catch them. Four years ago I and my 

 partner were astounded to see a 6 pound 

 carp caught by a " throw line " fisherman, 

 in the canal near Cincinnati. Until that 

 time we had believed that carp never bit at 

 bait. The efforts of this particular fish to 

 break away induced us to experiment. We 

 found certain persons were nearly always 

 successful in catching carp. We began to 

 question, but the fishermen were reticent. 

 We managed, however, to learn that carp 

 are vegetarians. My first fish, weighing 

 about Y-2 pound, I caught on rye bread. 

 My partner stuck his rod in the bank and 

 came to view my prize. While we were 

 congratulating ourselves, the tip of his rod 

 was pulled into the canal. The fish that took 

 his bait made the line fairly whistle through 

 the water for about 10 minutes. He was 

 finally reeled in to the bank. We had a net 

 made of mosquito bar for catching craw- 

 fish, and this was brought into play as a 

 landing net. The carp evidently didn't 

 know much about piscatorial etiquette for 

 he went through it like a flash, and leader, 

 hooks, fish and mosquito netting were de- 

 cidedly mixed. We finally succeeded in 

 landing the fish, and he proved an ordinary 

 German carp. 



Owing to the quantity of weeds, etc., the 

 canal was an unsatisfactory fishing ground. 

 We decided to try our luck in a large ice 

 basin connected with it, and there we 

 gained our real experience. At the end of 

 the basin a large tree lies submerged and 

 we found that a favorite lurking place for 

 the -fish. In regard to biting, carp are as 

 uncertain as bass. If your bait falls into a 

 retreat, they will eat between meals; if not 

 you will get no bites until they begin to 

 move about. Carp, like pickerel, are fond 

 of basking, but while the former lie on the 

 surface of the water, the latter are found 

 about a foot below, or even more. My 

 partner and I used 3 to 4 lines each, casting 

 about 100 feet. 



We had many noteworthy experiences. 

 After having our poles sail out into the 



middle of the basin several times, and our 

 lines snapped like packthreads, we began 

 to have considerable respect for the fish. 

 We now use lines with a breaking strength 

 of 20 pounds, and 3% to 5% Sproat hooks, 

 on double or treble gut. 



Carp never swallow a bait, hence are al- 

 ways hooked in the mouth. When the 

 hook enters the upper jaw you will prob- 

 ably land your fish, but when he is hooked 

 in the lower, careful management is re- 

 quired. This is not always possible as the 

 first rush of a carp of 3 pounds or over is 

 somewhat startling to a novice. Sproats, 

 properly made, have a low point, and often 

 double hook the fish. When this happens, 

 even the lower jaw hooking is good. We 

 have rod-rests made of steel spring wire 

 and use various devices for keeping pos- 

 session of our tackle. We use no floats and 

 often have no intimation that game is about 

 until the line suddenly straightens and the 

 rod begins dancing a jig in the air. It is 

 evident that unless the rod is in your hand, 

 the saving of the fish' is mainly a question 

 of strength of tackle. It sometimes hap- 

 pens, however, that the fish plays with the 

 bait at first, sucking it in and spitting it out 

 a number of times. This causes the line to 

 alternately run out a little and then fall 

 back. When this happens it will pay to get 

 ready for business. Short, sharp jerks of 

 the line indicate small fish, but it is best to 

 take no chances. 



In the matter of bait we have found slack 

 baked rye bread, and boiled green corn the 

 most serviceable. The bread crumb should 

 be worked into a doughy mass and put on 

 the hook in the shape of a pear. I disagree 

 with S. T. D. as to the size of the bait. The 

 carp has a small mouth, and the bait if 

 small, will be pulled out of its mouth when 

 the line tightens. When the bait is made 

 pear shaped, about 34 inch thick at the 

 lower part, and the point of the hook at 

 this place left slightly protruding, a fish of 

 a pound weight or more is obliged to open 

 his mouth rather widely to take it, and will 

 be hooked every time. When using corn, 

 5 or 6 grains should be strung on the hook. 

 Never go for carp without a landing net 

 or a gaff. We carry both, although our 

 average take is not over 4 pounds. We are 

 not, however, wholly unfamiliar with carp 

 of 8 and 10 pounds. On one occasion we 

 fished from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. without a bite, 

 but stopped at 5.30 with 45 pounds in the 

 bag. 



As carp are uncertain biters so they are 

 variable in gameness, and a great deal de- 



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